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Fed up spending training time queuing for machines in the gym? If you’re looking for a more efficient, full-body workout, hiring a private mini-gym could be for you.

Getting the balance right: Jonathan Lomax of Lomax Bespoke Fitness

Picture this: you’re in full swing at the gym. You’ve done 20min on the treadmill, 15min on the cross trainer – and then you falter. No, you’re not fatigued – you’re stuck in a queue.

There’s nothing worse than having your workout interrupted. Not only is it demotivating but you lose the intensity of your training as your heart rate drops while you stand around.

As most people can only train at peak times, common gym complaints include overcrowding and waiting for the next machine. But what if you had access to your own mini gym – one that was kitted out with everything you’d need to achieve a full-body workout in the shortest time? It may sounds expensive, however one company is offering the service from £5 an hour with no membership or joining fees.

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Lomax Bespoke Fitness, Nutrition & Wellbeing has created a new kind of gym comprising ten fitness ‘pods’ – fully kitted out mini-gyms containing a range of equipment designed to give an efficient and full body workout. Most importantly, you can have one all to yourself as each pod features a drop-down wall, so you can choose to train in private or have it open for a more social, class experience.

‘At most gyms, if even ten per cent of the average 3,000 members turn up at the same time, you’re going to have a long wait for certain machines and equipment,’ says founder and personal trainer Jonathan Lomax. ‘If that’s the case, you’re simply not going to get the most out of your workout.’

Currently, there are only two Lomax Bespoke Fitness, Nutrition & Wellbeing sites in London (Chelsea and Victoria) where pods are available. However, there are two more planned and Lomax is keen to roll out the gyms nationwide next year.

So what exactly is the idea behind the fitness pods? ‘In a recession, the pods come at a price everyone can afford,’ says Lomax. ‘Plus, it is widely documented that the best way to achieve your fitness goals is to use a combination of cardiovascular interval training (short bursts of high- intensity activity), compound weightlifting (such as squats, deadlifts, bench press), alongside full bodyweight exercises, such as press-ups, lunges and burpees.’

Some may know this type of training as CrossFit and Lomax claims the pods have been designed with this in mind. Each pod is kitted out with a weights bench, squat rack, dumb-bells, weights plates, barbell, TRX resistance trainer, cable systems, Swiss ball, plyometrics kit, a spin bike and a rowing machine. ‘By using this equipment in simple workout programmes, you will achieve the best results in a short amount of time,’ he says.

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A typical personal training session in the fitness pod starts with a warm-up on the spin bike. Lomax will then take the gym user through a circuit of different exercises swapping between lower-body conditioning and upper-body strength before moving on to stomach and back exercises. ‘We start with some squats, then move on to pull-ups on the Olympic rings, followed by TRX press-ups and finish with one minute’s spinning,’ he says.

‘Then we will do variations of that set at the same intensity including barbell squats, burpee exercises and finally some crunches. Training sessions are a mixture of weights and short, sharp bursts of cardio, which is known as metabolic conditioning.’

The fitness pods are also used to host Lomax’s signature Blast Class, which can be tailored to suit the fitness level of participants. ‘Each person has a pod and takes part in a series of timed exercises instructed by a personal trainer,’ he says. ‘You control the intensity of your performance by adding weights or exercises such as jumping at the end of squats. It’s about challenging yourself within the comfort of your own space.’

Lomax says it’s easy to get complacent on generic gym machines and stresses the importance of variety. ‘There’s merit in doing all sorts of exercises but if you want to get the most out of your workout and you’re pressed for time, you need to use your hour efficiently,’ he says. ‘The fitness pods are easy to use and really are the best way to get the most out of your workout.’

Jonathan Lomax is so keen to get people training in the correct way that he and his team will come and fit a pod in your home. Pods can be built to any room spec.

‘If the area is big enough to swing a cat, then we can do something with it,’ he says. ‘We make sure the ceilings are strong enough to have bolts in and then fit clips so you can have the equipment hanging up.’

You can hire the kit and away you go. ‘We lease the equipment so you can upgrade the kit as you get fitter,’ adds Lomax.

So, if you’ve always wondered what to do with that utility room, what better way to make use of dead space? Swap your iron for some dumb-bells and you’ll be able to use your stomach as a washboard in no time.